Such tools are known, and are generally used where rock or the like has to be broken up without the use of explosives. One such tool known to the applicant comprises a firing chamber and firing mechanism for a blank cartridge, which is connected to an impulse barrel having lateral outlets for the cartridge discharge.
The tool is used by drilling a downwardly directed hole of suitable diameter into the rock or like structure which has to be broken up, filling it with water, and then inserting the tool into the hole and discharging the cartridge.
On insertion of the barrel, the water enters through the lateral holes to a depth just beneath the barrel throat, and the impulsive force of the discharged gas from the cartridge cause shock waves in the water in the barrel, which are transmitted through the lateral discharge outlets to cause the rock to split and break up.
As far as applicant is aware, these tools are not particularly successful, since they are of relatively low power and cannot be used to break up large areas of, or very hard, rock. Increasing the cartridge charge increases the dangers of using the tool, and can result in localised fracture of rock around the hole without effectively splitting or breaking the rock up.